Absolute Monarchs Continued 07012015 Central European Monarchs Clash

Absolute Monarchs Continued… 07/01/2015

Central European Monarchs Clash

The Thirty Year’s War • Lutheran and the Catholic princes tried to gain followers. • Both sides felt threatened by Calvinism • Lutherans joined together in the Protestant Union in 1608 • The Catholic princes formed the Catholic League • Bohemian Protestants Revolt • 1618 war breaks out • The Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II (Head of the Hapsburg Family) ruled the Czech kingdom of Bohemia. • The protestants did not trust Ferdinand because he was Catholic and foreign. • He closed down some Protestant churches, the Protestants revolted. • Ferdinand sent an army to crush down the revolt, several German Protestant princes took this chance to challenge their Catholic emperor. • Thus began the Thirty Years’ War: A conflict over religion and territory and for power among European ruling families. • The war can be divided into 2 sections Hapsburg Triumphs and Hapsburg Defeats.

The Thirty Year’s War • Hapsburg Triumphs (16 -18 -1648) • Hapsburg armies from Austria and Spain crushed the troops hired by the Protestant princes. • They put down the Czech uprising and defeated the German Protestants who supported the Czechs. • Ferdinand paid his army 125, 000 men by allowing them to plunder rob the Germany villages, the destroyed everything in their path. • Hapsburg Defeat • The Protestant Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden and his disciplined army of 23, 000 shifted the tide of war in 1630. They drove the Hapsburg armies out of northern Germany. • Adolphus was killed in battle in 1632. • Cardinal Richelieu and Mazarin of France dominated the remaining years of the war. • 1635: Richelieu sent French troops to join the German and Swedish Protestants in the struggle against the Hapsburgs because they did not want European rulers to have more power than the French king.

The Thirty Year’s War • Peace of Westphalia • War did great damage to Germany. • • Population decreased from 20 million to 16 million • Trade and agriculture were disrupted The Peace of Westphalia (1648) ended the war. • Weakened the Hapsburg states of Spain and Austria • Strengthened France by awarding it German Territory • Made German princes independent of the Holy Roman Emperor • Ended Religious wars in Europe • Introduced a new method of peace negotiation where are participants meet and discuss the problems and decide the terms of peace (This is still used today) • Beginning of Modern State • The treaty abonded the idea of a Catholic empire ruling most of Europe and instead recognized Europe as a group of equal independent states. This mars the beginning of the modern state system and was the most important result of the Thirty Years’ War

States Form in Central Europe • Strong states develop in Central Europe: The major powers of this region were the kingdom of Poland, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire. • Economic Contrasts with the West • Late middle ages- Serfs in Europe slowly won freedom and moved to towns and joined middle class townspeople who gained political power through commercial revolution and the development of capitalism. • Landowning aristocracy in Europe passed laws to restrict the ability of serfs gaining freedom and moving into the cities. • Nobles wanted serfs on the land to produce large harvests and sell the surplus crops to western European cities for great profit. • Several Weak Empires • Nobles limited the development of strong kings. • For example: The King of Poland elected had limited income, no law courts, and no standing army. • The 2 empires in central Europe were weak. • • The Ottoman empire fell apart and declined in power. The Holy Roman Empire no longer able to command obedience of the German states after Thirty Year’s War. • Late 1600’s two German families became absolute leaders in order to lead Central Europe

States Form in Central Europe • Austria Grows Stronger • The Hapsburg of Austria took several steps to become absolute monarchs • They reconquered Bohemia during Thirty Years’ War. • Hapsburgs wiped out the Protestantism, created new Czech nobility to pledge loyalty to them • Centralized the government and created a standing army. • 1699: Hapsburgs had retaken Hungary from the Ottoman Empire • 1711: Charles VI became the Hapsburg rulers. Within the boarders lived a diverse assortment of people- Czech, Hungarians, Italians, Croatians, and Germans • Only the fact that one Hapsburg ruler wore the Austrian, Hungarian and Bohemian crowns kept the empire together. • Maria Theresa Inherits the Austrian Throne • How could the Hapsburg make sure that they continued to rule all those lands? • Charles VI spent his entire reign answering this problem- he persuaded other leader of Europe to sign an agreement that declared they would recognize his daughter as the heir to all his Hapsburg territories. • Maria Theresa: The agreement guaranteed Theresa and peaceful reign instead she faced many years of war. Her main enemy Prussia.

Prussia Challenges Austria • The Rise of Prussia • Rose to power in late 1600’s with Prussia’s ruling family the Hohenzollerns. • Built their state from small holdings beginning with the German states of Brandenburg and Prussia. • 1640: 20 year old Frederick William inherited the title of elector of Brandenburg. “The Great Elector” • After seeing the Thirty Years’ War destruction, William decided to have a strong army. • Created the best standing army in Europe, 80, 000 men! • To pay for the army he introduced permanent taxations • Weakened the representative assemblies of their territories. • Prussia’s landowning nobility the Junkers, resisted the king’s growing power. • By early 1700’s King Frederick William I bought their cooperation by making them officers in his army • Prussia became a rigidly controlled highly militarized society

Prussia Challenges Austria • Fredrick the Great • Fredrick William worried that his son was not military enough to rule • The prince loved music, philosophy, and poetry. • 1730: When Fredrick and his friend tried to run away, Fredrick was ordered to witness the beheading of his friend! • Despite this, Fredrick II aka Frederick the Great followed his fathers military policies. He softened up some of his father’s laws. • He encouraged religious tolerance and legal reform.

Prussia Challenges Austria • War of Austrian Succession • 1740: Maria Theresa succeeded her father, 5 months later Fredrick II becomes King of Prussia. • He goes after the Austrian land of Silesia (produces iron ore, textiles, and food products) • He assumed that Maria Theresa would not fight back and in 1740 sent an army to occupy Silesia and thus began the War of Austrian Succession. • Maria Theresa had just give birth, she brought her infant with her and asked for the Hungarian nobles to aid in this war. • They didn’t trust the Hapsburgs but they did pledge to give Maria an army. • Great Britain joined Maria, they did stop Prussia’s aggression but she lost Silesia in the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748 • The Acquisition of Silesia made Prussia a major European power.

Prussia Challenges Austria • The Seven Years’ War • Maria Theresa decided that French kings were no longer Austria’s chief enemies so she made an alliance with them. • Frederick heard of actions and signed a treaty with Britain (Austria’s former ally) • Austria, France, Russia v. Prussia and Britain • 1756: Ferderick attacked Saxony (Austrian ally) war broke out that lasted until 1763 - Called the Seven Years’ War. • Did not change territorial situation in Europe • British emerged as real victors: France lost its colonies in North America, Britain gained sole economic domination of India (this leads to expansion in India in the 1800’s)

Absolute Rulers in Russia

Absolute Rulers of Russia • Ivan II of Moscow (1462 -1505) • Conquered much of the territory around Moscow • Liberated Russia from the Mongols • Centralized the Russian government • Vasily (ruled for 28 years) • Continued fathers work by adding territory to the growing Russian state • Increased the power of the central government

The First Czar • Ivan the Terrible • Ivan IV aka Ivan the Terrible. • 1533: Ivan IV came to throne when he was only 3 years old! • His young life was disrupted by struggles for power among Russia’s landowning nobles known as boyars. Boyars fought to control young Ivan • 16 years old: Ivan seized power and had himself crowned czar. It means “Caesar” • He married Anastasia (related to an old boyar family) the Romanovs. • 1547 -1560 Ivan’s good period: Won great victories, added lands to Russia, gave Russia a code of laws and ruled justly. • Rule by Terror • Ivan’s bad period began in 1560 after Anastasia died. He accused the Boyars of poisoning his wife and turned against them. • Organized his own police force whose chief duty was to hunt down and murder people Ivan considered traitors. (Dressed in black and rode black horses) • Ivan executed many boyars, their families and peasants who worked on their lands • Ivan seized control of the boyars estates and gave them to new class of nobles who had to remain loyal to him. • 1581: He killed his oldest son and heir to the throne. He died 3 years later and his weak second song was left to rule

The First Czar • Rise of the Romanovs • Ivan’s son proved to be physically and mentally not capable of ruling Russia- After he died without an heir Russia experienced a period of turmoil known as the Time of Troubles. • Time of Troubles: Boyars struggled for power, heirs of czar died, several imposters tried to claim the throne. • 1613: Representatives from many Russian cities met to choose the next czar. • The choice was Michael Romanov, grandnephew of Ivan the Terrible’s wife Anastasia. Thus began the Romanov dynasty ruled Russia for 300 years (1612 -1917)

Peter the Great Comes to Power • Peter the Great • Romanovs restored Russia and paved the way for absolute leader Peter I. • Peter shared his throne with his brother. • 1696: Peter becomes the sole owner of Russia. He is known as Peter the Great because he was one Russia’s greatest reformers and hi continued the trend of increasing czar’s power. • Russia Contrasts with Europe • Russia was still a land of boyars and serfs- last until 1800’s • Serfs were treated like property; when a landowner sold his property he would sell the serfs with it too, serfs were given away as presents or to pay off debts and couldn’t run away. • Mongol rule had cut Russia off from the Renaissance and the Age of Exploration. • Little interactions with traders, only seaport was iced most of the year. • Religious differences: Russians adopted the Eastern Orthodox branch of Christianity. Western Europeans were mostly Catholic or Protestant. (Russians viewed them as heretics and avoided them)

Peter the Great Comes to Power • Peter Visits the West • 1680’s people in the German quarter of Moscow were accustomed to seeing young Peter walking through the neighborhood (more than 6 feet tall!) • He was fascinated by modern tools and had a passion for ships and the sea. • He believed that Russia’s future depended on having warmwater port. • He was 24 years old when he became sole ruler of Russia. • 1697 (a year later) he embarked on the Grand Embassy a long visit to western Europe to learn about Europeans customs and manufacturing techniques.

Peter Rules Absolutely • Peter’s Reform • Inspired by his trip, Peter resolved that Russia would compete with Europe on both military and commercial terms. • Peter’s goal was westernization: Using western Europe as a model for change. • Peter increased his powers as an absolute ruler to accomplish this goal. • He brought the Russian Orthodox Church under state control. • • • Abolished the head of the patriarch, head of church and set up a a group called the Hold Synod to run the church under his direction. Reduced the power of the great landowners Modernized his army, hired European offices who drilled his soldiers in European tactics with European weapons. Being a soldier= lifetime job. Russia’s army = 200, 000 men To pay for this large army, Ivan imposed heavy taxes

Peter Rules Absolutely • Westernizing Russia • Introduced potatoes- staple in Russian diet • Started Russia’s first newspaper and edited it first issue himself • Raised women’s status by having them attend social gatherings • Ordered nobles to give up their traditional clothes but to Western fashions. • Advanced education by opening a school of navigation and introducing schools of arts and sciences.

Peter Rules Absolutely • Establishing St. Petersburg • To promote education and growth, Peter wanted a seaport that would make it easier to travel west. • Peter fought Sweden to gain a piece of the Baltic coast (21 long years of war, Russia finally won the “Window on Europe”) • 1703 Peter began building a new city in Swedish land. Land was swampy but still perfect location for a seaport. • 25, 000 to 100, 000 serfs died building the city. • Once finished, Peter ordered many Russian nobles to leave the comforts of their homes and settle in his new capital. • Peter tried to westernize and reform the culture and government of Russia and by 1725 (Peter’s death) Russia was a power to be reckoned with.

Parliament Limits the English Monarchy

Monarchs Defy Parliament • Elizabeth I of England • Frequent conflicts with Parliament- arguments over money, left a huge debt • 1603: Elizabeth died with no heir, her closest relative was James Stuart King of Scotland. • He became King of England in 1603. England Scotland will not unite until 1707, they just shared a ruler. • James’s Problems • Money problems that Elizabeth left. • Offended the Puritan members of Parliament. They hoped that he would enact reforms to purify the English church of Catholic Practices, he refused to make reforms except agreeing to a new translation of the Bible. • Charles I Fights Parliament • 1625: James I died, his son Charles I took the throne. • Always needed money because of his wars against Spain and France • Parliament refused to give him fund, he dissolved Parliament because of this.

Monarchs Defy Parliament • Charles I Fights Parliament • 1628, Charles was forced to call Parliament again. This time it refused to give him money unless he signed a document known as the Petition of Right (It had 4 points) • • He would not imprison subjects with due cause He would not levy taxes without Parliament’s consent He would not house soldiers in private homes He would not impose marital law in peacetime • Charles signed but did not follow the petition • 1629: He dissolved the Parliament, imposed all kinds of fees and fines on the English people to get money.

English Civil War • Scotland • Charles offended Puritans by upholding the rituals of the Anglican Church • 1637: He tried to force the Presbyterian Scots to accept a version of the Anglican prayer book. (He wanted both kingdoms to follow one religion) • Scotts rebelled, assembled huge army and threatened to invade England. • Charles needed more money to fight off the Scotts, so he called Parliament again. • War Topples a King • 1641: Parliament passed laws to limit royal power • Charles tried to arrest Parliament leaders in January 1642 (they escaped) • Equally furious a mob on Londoner’s raged outside the palace, Charles fled London and raised an army in the North of England where people were loyal to him. • 1642 -1649 supporters and opponents of King Charles fought the English Civil War. • • Those who remained loyal to Charles were called Royalists or Cavaliers Other side were Puritan supporters of Parliament (Roundheads because their hair was short over their ears) • 1644: The puritans found a general who could win Oliver Cromwell. • 1645: Cromwell’s New Model Army began defeating the Cavaliers and tides turned towards the Puritans • 1647: They held the King prisoner • 1649: Charles was brought to trial for treason against Parliament, found guilty and sentenced to death.

English Civil War • Cromwell's Rule • • 1649: He abolished monarch and the House of Lords Established commonwealth, a republic form of government 1653: Sent home remaining members of Parliament Drafted a constitution- HOWEVER Cromwell eventually tore up the document and became a military dictator. • Put down a rebellion in Ireland, seized lands and homes gave them to English soldiers. The fighting, plague and famine killed hundreds of thousands. • Puritan Morality • Cromwell and the Puritans sought to reform society. The made laws that promoted Puritan morality and abolished activities that were considered sinful like sporting events and dancing. • Cromwell was still in favor of religious toleration (unlike the Puritans) he even allowed Jews to return (they had been expelled in 1290)

Restoration and Revolution • Charles II Resigns • 1658: Charles I died and 1659 Parliament voted to ask Charles II to rule England as king not under military rule. • Restoration: Period when Charles II restored monarch • Parliament passed an important guarantee of freedom habeas corpus- every prisoner has the right to obtain a writ or document ordering that the prisoner be brought before a judge to specify the charges against a prisoner. • This is important so that people weren’t arrested simply for opposing royalty. • Charles’ heir would be his brother James (Catholic)

Restoration and Revolution • James II and the Glorious Revolution • 1685: Charles II died and James became King • He offended people by displaying his Catholicism, violating English law for appoint several Catholic to high office, and when Parliament protested James dissolved them. • 1688: James’s second wife gave birth to son (English Protestants became terrified at the prospect of a line of Catholic Kings) • BUT James had an older daughter named Mary who was Protestant. (She was the wife of William of Orange- Prince of the Netherlands) • 7 members of Parliament invited William and Mary to overthrow James for the sake of Protestantism, • William led an army to London in 1688, James fled to France. • This bloodless overthrow of King James II is called the Glorious Revolution

Limits on Monarch’s Power • Bill of Rights • At their coronation, William and Mary vowed to recognize Parliament as their partner in governing. • England was no longer an absolute monarchy but a Constitutional Monarch- where laws limit the ruler’s power. • To make clear the limits of royal power, Parliament drafted a Bill of Rights in 1689. This document listed many things that a ruler could not do: • • • no suspending of Parliament’s laws no levying of taxes without a specific grant from Parliament no interfering with freedom of speech in Parliament no penalty for a citizen who petitions the king about grievances

Limits on Monarch’s Power • After 1688, no British monarch could rule without the consent of Parliament. • Parliament could not rule without the consent of the Monarch. If they disagreed the government would come to standstill. • Cabinet: The development of a group of government ministers or officials who acted in the ruler’s name but in reality represented the major party of Parliament. They became the link between the Monarch and the majority party in Parliament • Became the center of power and policymaking. Under the cabinet system, the leader of the majority party in Parliament heads the cabinet and is called the prime minister. This system of English government continues today.